Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist, scholar, historian, traveler, officer, and writer. Although not considered his most important work, Pliny and his contemporaries created the botanical name for hops, “lupus Salictarius”, meaning wolf among scrubs.” Hops at that time grew wild among willows, much like a wolf in the forest. Later the current botanical name, Humulus Lupulus, was adopted. Pliny died in 79 AD while observing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who continued his uncle’s legacy by documenting much of what he observed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Pliny the Elder, the beer, is brewed with 40% more malt and over twice the amount of hops as compared to our already hoppy IPA.

Beer Advocate: A+ (4.55)

Rate Beer: 100 (4.24)

Timperial’s Notes:

beeradvocate.com recently posted their 2010 “Top Beers on Planet Earth”. At the time of that list’s release Beer Blotter felt obliged to lend their opinion on the extremely interesting phenomena surrounding it, but alas, time did not allow. Seeing that the beer to be reviewed here is the controversial number 1 on said list, we will take this opportunity to toss out a few thoughts.

I personally prefer ratebeer’s Best in the World list over BA’s Top Beers list because I feel it gives credit to beers that, yes, may be very rare, but most likely taste the best, or are the most complex. BA’s list seems to have been compiled only with beers that have been reviewed by roughly 1,000 users, or have roughly 1,000 total reviews. This, however, makes the list much more accessible to the masses. A decent majority of the beers on the list have a sizable distribution.

For us Seattleites, the only breweries represented in the list that don’t distribute to our state are Founder’s, Bell’s, Three Floyds, Troegs, Great Lakes, Brooklyn, and Smuttynose. That’s really not that bad. 7 out of 44 breweries. Of course, none of those 44 breweries are from WA, but we kinda already knew that would happen. Tell me what WA beer deserves to be on the list, but before you answer, ask yourself what that beer’s distribution looks like. When you weigh quality with the number of mouths that get to taste it, you will begin to realize why our state is never represented.

I had planned on doing some serious analysis of the list, but it seems that Jay Brooks over at Brookston Beer Bulletin did most of the heavy lifting for me. Check out the stats here.

Now, to number 1 on the list. Pliny. This is insane! Don’t get me wrong, Pliny is an amazing double IPA. I’d drink it everyday for the rest of my life if I had to and I’d be quite happy. Vinnie Cilurzo is truly a hero of mine, but…there should never, ever be an IPA in the number one spot on a list like this. IPAs lack depth and complexity. The number 1 spot should be reserved for a beer that has so many layers and nuances that you struggle to describe it. Even my beloved imperial stout, though unarguably complex, doesn’t have the depth of some of the greatest Belgian ales. This is why I will never argue with the ratebeer perennial champion Westy 12. Now that is a worthy beer for number 1 on planet Earth. But, Westy 12 is very rare and therefore has no place on this list. Rochefort 10 on the other hand, found in the number 3 position on the list, should be on top in my opinion. Anyone who has ever had this beer knows a little something about speechless.

But, I deeply digress. This article is about hops and Pliny has plenty of it. Wherever Pliny should end up on this list, or any other list for that matter, is up for debate; but what surely is not up for debate is if it should be on the list, or any other list for that matter. There is absolutely no doubt that this is one of the world’s best hoppy beers and I’m ecstatic to be drinking it tonight.

The filling of my pint glass is no easy task. A huge, rocky head arises of a just off-white, nearly yellow hue. It takes a while to fizzle down into beer, so you can imagine the pains it took to hold patiently. In fact, I failed. Refusing to wait, I slurped up a big, prickly mouthful of foam that seemed a microcosm of the taste experience soon to come. Immediately evaporating like a pinch of cotton candy between my lips, waves of citrus and pine span past me in fractions of a second before a stern slap of bitterness stung my senses.

Before even one liquid sip made it to my mouth, I felt as though I had climbed just slightly too far up a pine tree, became fearfully stuck, then became the target of a potato gun loaded with citrus. I’m taking it square in the jaw with propelled fruit and hanging on to the sharp, sappy branches of my captor with all that I have. It sounds like a nightmare, and to the bitter bewildered, it just may be, but to The Hop Brief, it’s an extreme sport. We do it for the love of the thrill.

The head eventually settles to a white wisp and ring. Surprisingly, the lacing is a bit subdued. After such a thick head on the pour and the sweetness expected from such a big brew, I presumed there would be much more stickage. The color is also a bit unexpected, a pale, cloudy amber. Pale enough that I would have projected a lighter brew before me. The most striking attribute of all, gathered with the eye, is the level of cloudiness. Actually, I hesitate to even use the word cloudy, though it seems an appropriate adjective for beers with suspended yeast. Here we have some serious floaters! My mind tells me that it’s hop shrapnel, and I like the thought of that. Maybe I can chew some hop as I drink some hop.

The nose is very pleasant to this IPA lover. There is a slight sting in the nostrils from the multi-tiered potency. Many facets of potent lupulin resins (pine and citrus, as mentioned earlier), backed with a potent booze factor. The biscuity malts that break through add a complexity and balance that is an invaluable sidekick. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a dash of wheat in the grain bill. That may also be a factor in the color and cloudiness. Fruitcake… and no, I’m not talking about you… in the nose. There is a slight but noticeable sweetness in the scent that brings me relief.

The mouthfeel is spot on for the style. Fairly low but present carbonation, smooth and slick with sweetness… I’m not rushing to swallow.

The flavor is pretty fantastic. No shit, right? The taste experience begins with an onslaught of bitterness, which I generally am opposed to, but after the bitter sensing portions of the tongue relax (or are desensitized, I’m not sure which), it’s all so right. An exhale through the nose stirs up all of the crucial hop flavors that were prefaced in the nose. BIG earthy pine (trapped in a tree), grapefruit, pumello, bitter orange (potato gun shooting citrus); it’s all there and wiping about the mouth like a swirl-and-spin of hop-flavored paint, coating every corner of the mouth with aromatic arts.

The malts are like the cool, smooth looking guy that just strolls through the bonkers house party with no worry in the world. He puts it all into perspective, making all the hopped-up party animals look like riotous ne’er-do-wells who will never grow up to do anything with their lives. In this particular case, we all know that those hopped-up animals turn out to forever change American brewing, but don’t tell that to the malty fellow, he is still cool as ice. You may have picked up on my IPA desires by now, but if not, I NEED BALANCE! Get a little heavy on the malt bill, leave behind some unfermentable sugars, arrest fermentation, do whatever you have to do to massage my sweet tooth. This brew gives it a little stroke, and I’m near bliss.

For me, the aftertaste is the peak of excellence as far as PTE is concerned. All the flavors coalesce into a sweet song in the key of sturm und drang. Extremes in emotion mingle. Stabbing, pungent bitterness leads into soothing, relaxing sacchariferousness. There is very little dryness at all and, though I so badly want another sip, I really don’t need it. The flavors just keep going and going. All is right in the world.

With PTE, the sweetness is desperately close to perfect for me, but falls just short. I can actually feel the tension within me. I want so badly for it to be perfect, but no. Lest we not forget though, it’s a rare occasion when I even discuss the possibility of perfection in a beer, of any style, and that is why Pliny the Elder is a legend in both history and beer.

Saturday was a good beer day- Big Al Brewing Co. for a sampler: Tripple, Alt Bier, Abbey Wheat, Smoked Porter and the IPA were all very tasty. The Alt Bier and Abbey Wheat stood out among the crowd. We stopped at Cask in West Seattle, a new wine/beer bar that opened just 5 weeks ago. The owner offers a “to-go” section that focuses on imports. We stayed for just one, Fremont Brewing Co.’s Interurban IPA dry hopped with Cascade hops, Lime, Orange and Grapefruit zest. Damn good. Porter House– just across the street has about 12-15 beers on tap- Pliny the Elder was up for grabs but I went with this new brewery- North Sound Brewing. Both their Stout (classic dry Irish stout served on Nitro) and their IPA were stellar. A night in was filled with IPAs- 7 Seas Ballz Deep Double IPA (in a tall boy can) and an IPA from Yakima Craft Brewing Co. But now for your week in beer:

Nemsis, Founders’ Barley Wine is out and available tonight! Stop by and if you get your hands on this, please report back to bb.com. Look for this beer at your local beer bar – you lucky people that live in the mid-west or north east!

Get schooled on hops and yeast! The Ginger Man will be featuring Mikkeller’s Single Hop Series and their Yeast Series. The beers in the Single Hop Series use a control recipe with a different hop in each brew, showcasing the flavors and aromas of one variety of hop. Same rules for the Yeast Series, this time with varying yeast strands. The Single Hop Series will be on draught and the Yeast Series will be in bottle format.

Tonight- 15 beers…15 different styles….including Rochfort 8 & 10, Orval, Duvel, and many more. There will also be a special something from De Struise. This event is free, but Bogie’s is asking for a $5.00 donation. All proceeds will be donated to MCPCA Walk for the Animals.

The Little Woody celebrates this ancient brewing technique as adapted by American craft brewers, featuring beers aged in wine barrels, whisky barrels and oak barrels, which uniquely flavors and intensifies the beer. The Little Woody 2010 will encompass two days-September 3 from 5 -10pm and September 4 from 12pm -10pm on the lawn of the Des Chutes Historical Museum in Downtown Bend. Admission to the event includes a commemorative glass. A tasting package is available and includes a commemorative glass and tasting tickets. For more information click here.

Annual national moving bike festival put on by hometown heroes New Belgium. Featuring bands, good people, good brews and a damn good reason to get silly! Bring a bike and a funky costume for maximum enjoyment. For more info, click here.

Iowa microbrews are getting some love today- Come down to the brewery and taste the best beers that Iowa has to offer and meet the brewers who make these great brews as they serve you. Live music, local food will also be part of the event! Proceeds go the the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation and Iowa Brewers Guild.

So thats your week in beer. If you go to an event, want us to post about an event, please leave a comment or email us at beerblotter@gmail.com! Cheers!

I love this concept. Why do we have to wait a full year to indulge in the delicious holiday treats? The Iron Abbey will be tapping Christmas beers such as…Affligem Noel, Unibroue Terrible, St. Bernardus Noel, Brooklyn Chocolate Stout and Tourney Noel. The bottle list will include: Scaldis Noel, Corsendonk Christmas, Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence (get this- taste like chocolate syrup), Sierra Celebration, Rogue’s Santa’s Private Reserve and Samichlaus. Special Christmas pairing menu available to compliment these special brews!

The Charlotte Beer Club presents a month long celebration of beer appreciation for our friends at The Common Market. During the entire month of July, we will host tastings and events, each Wednesday throughout the month. Tonight is Stone Brewing Co. and Dogfish head with a few complimentary “featured” beers and beers available for purchase.

As of right now there will beat least 3 different (Devil Dancer, Curmudgeon, and a surprise!) Founders beers on tap and possibly more. On top of the great beer, there will have some cool swag to give away and live music will be provided on the patio!

Opening night for this interesting exhibit, is Friday, July 30 from 6:00-9:00pm. The opening will include dinner, drinks, a curator’s talk, and a special beer. This Exhibit goes through the history of beer using advertising material, tap handles, metal signs, prints, beer steins, and fixtures from the home brewing industry. It is $10 for general admission and Fullerton Museum Center members get in for free.

This year’s family and dog-friendly event will be a celebration of the American Backyard BBQ and include: BBQ vendors, a BBQ contest, Kobe Bleu Ball eating contest, Dog Vendors, Charity Dog Wash, 20+ Microbreweries and Live Music. All of this fun and beer will directly benefit the Oregon Zoo.

If you’ve ever been at a loss to describe the elusive flavors in your favorite beers, this class is for you! Learn how to taste the differences between styles, understand off flavors, and put words to those tasty brews you love so well. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Stone Company Store or online here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/114753

Silver City bring a few of their favorites to the Fourth Corner to share with thirsty ‘Hamsters. Will be the Hefe, Fat Bastard which is a Scotch Ale, the tasty, tasty malt liquor and others. FREE STUFF!

Join us as we celebrate the 4th of July Hop Cat style with our very own in-house picnic. All day long we will be having a beer/food special. Choose one appetizer and one entrée with paired beers each, for only $20.

We will be off the map on Monday- camping hard-core style on the Olympic Peninsula. So your events will come on Tuesday of next week. Have a great holiday! Be safe, drink beers! If you have an event you want us to mention, leave a comment or email us at beerblotter@gmail.com.

During our whirlwind trip of DC, we managed to stop at both of the Pizzeria Paradiso locations. First up, after walking what felt like 5 miles pulling luggage along with us, we sat down on the outside patio at Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle. It was a beautiful day and I basked in the sun while enjoying a Mikkeller 10 Hop IPA and Founder’s Stout, both on tap. Nothing in the bottle amazed us/we have had most things on the list, so we opted for these two amazing drafts. I sat in our Nation’s capital with a hoppy, smooth IPA and a well-baked, perfectly proportionate pizza.

After a trip to Middleburg, Virginia to see two good friends tie the knot, we travelled back to DC and visited Birreria Paradiso. The top floor mimics the sister restaurant, a family style pizzeria. We headed directly to the basement, “the beer basement.” With brick walls, this cool, dark “cellar” sent us into a time warp as we ended up spending 4 hours there. A Lagunitas Undercover Shutdown, a Flying Dog Raging Bitch (Belgium IPA)- both on tap and Stoud’s Double IPA (sweet and amazing) and Bell’s Expedition Stout (black in color, coffee favors, down right delicious) from the bottle topped off our Sunday afternoon.

Rarely do you get the chance to indulge in pizza with the likes of an amazing bottle and tap list. At both locations, my desires were fulfilled. As I mentioned, they are very family friendly but the pizza is damn good. I havent mentioned staff, because in all honesty, they were not overly attentive to our beer needs. These places were packed and the focus is not on beer, it’s on pizza and families. These places are worth a trip when travelling to DC. Also around the corner from Pizzeria Paradiso is Brickskeller talk about a bottle list!!!

Notes From the Bottle: Emerging from the deepest shades of darkness, a rolling crescendo of flavors burst forth from this robust stout. The thundering, hoppy appeal of Storm King subsides into the mellow subtleties of roasted malt, exhibiting an espresso-like depth of character in its finish. An exquisite blend of imported malts and whole flower American hops merge harmoniously in this complex ale. Discover the dark intrigue of Storm King, as it reveals the rich, substantial flavors that it holds within. Cheers! Signed – Bill and Ron, the brewmasters of Victory. Best enjoyed by 7/2012.

Food Pairings: Smoked meats, chocolate, deserts

Cheese Pairings: Gouda, brie, swiss

Beer Advocate: A-

Rate Beer: 100 (4.06)

Timperialstout’s Notes:

Seattle Beer Week has gotten the best of me. My event schedule, whether it be for my own pleasure or at the will of my employer (which is still pretty damn pleasurable I must admit), has ensnared all of my availability over the last 10 days. Near the beginning of the week, when my energy level was high, I was able to pump out my guide to Stout Fest. I had great hopes of drafting a similar guide to Sour Fest, but time did not allow. Now that SBW is over, though I’m a bit sad to see her go, I can finally breath. I can get some sleep. I can remember what it’s like to wake up without a hangover.

I had a lot of really, really good beers from all over the country over the past week. I met a lot of really great people in the industry. I met a lot of beer lovers. I think I’ll look back on SBW 2010 with very fond memories.

The night of this tasting was one of great reminiscence. A night to mull over the greatness, to enshrine the memories created over the previous days. Not only that, but to reminisce on the beginnings of Timperial Stout. To take a time machine journey to a young man’s first sips of imperial stout, that precious beverage that would inevitably endow him with a nick-name.

Incase you haven’t put the pieces together, Storm King was the first imperial stout I ever tasted. Downingtown, PA is just a small hop, skip, and jump from where I grew up. To put it lightly, Storm King is my monarch. He has had a large hand in molding me.

This one has been aging in the cellar for 3 years now, and a classic imperial stout just seemed right for such an evening of recollection. It was not a hard decision.

The King pours opaque as one would imagine, with a head of mocha that rises much more than expected on a vigorous pour, but still very little than an inch off the inky fluid. The bubbles subside in a few minutes to a mere ring and wisp, leaving a small bit of residue on the glass walls. The slightest bit of light makes it through the edges, but in the depths… there is no escape for the brightest illumination. Consider the “dark intrigue” discovered, without a single sip.

The odor is overwhelming me with its complexity. There is so much going on I don’t know where to start. Adjectives like deep and distinguished come to mind. Ironically, this brew seems to be built for the mature palate. It posses a combination of tobacco, smoked peat, and baker’s chocolate, with a bit of a medicinal quality as well. The alcohol is quite present. I’m reminded of smelling vanilla extract with its warming sensation deep in the nose. Age seems to be flying its flag quite predominantly here. Hops may be the producer of a bit of earth and medicine, but no traditional alpha characteristics can be found.

I just may bundle this brew in with the Arcadia Impy Stout for its ability to drop you in the red-hot coals of a BBQ. Smoke rises from the feet of a magician named Bill Covaleski.

Once the holy liquid hits the tongue, all preconceptions previously communicated from the nose are solidified into truth. A common slick and soft mouthfeel puts me at ease right from the get go…ahhh, that’s my impy stout, thank you friend, you’ve been missed.

Though this monster has clearly been bequeathed with malty mischief, there isn’t a lot of sweetness. Like I said, this is for the veteran palate.

Though no bit of the fluid should suggests a chalkiness, the flavors speak of ingesting the work of mortar and pestle. If a mocha could be solidified, then ground down to dust and fermented, this would be the result. Barrel aged, peated scotch may be akin to the Storm King as well, I can’t help but mention that infiltrating thought.

Post-swallow I’m a bit cotton-mouthed under the tongue, but the back corners of my mouth are moist with confusion. What aftertaste lingers? I think of devil’s food cake, but the sweetness is extracted. A very high cocoa content perhaps. A bit of clinging, oily black coffee or espresso. Have I smoked a cigar recently? Have I breathed deeply beside the bonfire for a bit too long. My mouth could be burnt without the pain.

Smoke signals sent high above the treeline convey my peace with the world at this moment. I’ve been rejoined by an old friend, and in good company I transcend.

This Thursday marks the opening day of Seattle Beer Week, so events might be a bit Seattlecentric for the next week or two. For those of you who live in Seattle- awesome for you and for those of you who do not, its time to visit!

This is just the beginning of a two-week festival featuring, you guessed it, Belgium style beers. Guests can purchase a logo Chimay glass for $15 and refill it with one of the 8 rotating Belgian handles for only $5 during the entire two weeks of the festival. Each beer will be on for one keg only, so once its gone.. its gone. This event stars: Goose Island‘s Matilda, Urthel Hop-it, Russian River‘s Consecration and many more.

You know we have an affinity for beers from the Mid-West and now you lucky New Yorkers can drink up and report back. Beers from Founders Brewing Co. and Erie Brewing Co. will be available for your enjoyment. Cheers!

Kick it off with visits to Hale’s Brewery for the featured SBW beer on cask, Shultzy’s Sausage for a special imported cask and end the night at Naked City Taphouse for some special Washington beers on tap!

All I can say, is “Thank God this is on a Friday night.” With a line up of rare and wonderful stouts on tap, surely a beer lover will need a day to recover. Brouwer’s Cafe always gets the finest selections for these events, so if you’re a stout fan, this is not to be missed!

The 2010 Seattle Beer Week Tour de Pints, a bike ride with stops at some great beer bars, is now upon us. If you were there last year, we will be following a very similar route. Only one Feat of Strength this year as we hope to keep the group more together. We plan to spend about 30-45 mins at each location.

Seattle Beer Week- if only I could take a vacation from work to enjoy all of the amazing events lined up EVERY DAY. Those of you who get to go to an event, please email me at jess@beerblotter.com or leave a comment. I want to live vicariously through you!